NEW DELHI: Ireland captain Lorcan Tucker remained in awe of the anticipation surrounding 15-year-old Indian batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi ahead of the upcoming T20I series, calling his rise “pretty incredible” for the modern professional era.“It’s pretty incredible for them to have a 15-year-old on their team,” Tucker said in Thursday’s pregame news conference.“I never thought it would be possible in this professional era of the game, especially with the amount of work that goes into professional cricket and the standard of players. So credit to him – he’s a pretty special player,” he said.Tucker also noted the wider excitement caused by the young man’s appearance, particularly among Ireland’s sizeable Indian community.“We have a huge Indian community in Ireland which I know will be massively ready to watch this game, and they will see Vaibhav. That’s the most talked about thing here, about him making his debut in this series,” he added.Reflecting on Sooryavanshi’s rapid rise, Tucker added: “He’s obviously an absolutely incredible talent. We’ve tried to do as much research as possible on him. I think he’s blown up the IPL, an incredible 75 sixes or whatever it was, like the skill level there is absolutely incredible.”He further emphasized the wider impact of the emergence of teenagers on sports.“It gives the game something to talk about. It’s really exciting. That kind of energy that comes into the series is fantastic not only for us, but for the people who come to watch, for the people watching at home and for those kids playing around the corner,” he said.Tucker also acknowledged Sooryavanshi’s role as a rising global figure in the game.“As much as we try to be role models for Irish players, I think it’s the responsibility of all players around the world to be role models. “So I know Vaibhav is just a boy, but he’s still an amazing player, and he’s a pretty special role model for cricketers around the world now and the kids coming up,” he further added.
Ireland are preparing for a “baptism of fire” against India
Turning to the series itself, Tucker admitted his side face a big challenge against the reigning T20 World Cup holders, especially with an injury-plagued bowling attack.“I think this is a bit of a baptism of fire and it’s a tough challenge at first,” he said. “But I just believe that at the end of the day it’s a game of cricket… As amazing as the Indian players are, they also have a lot of pressure on themselves.”Ireland were forced into changes, with Reuben Wilson, Matthew Hollard and Jai Moondra coming in for injured pacers Mark Adair, Josh Little and Barry McCarthy. Tucker backed Moondra to make an impact despite his inexperience.“He showed real skill with the new ball… He has all the skills,” he said.Looking ahead, Tucker stressed that early breakthroughs would be vital if Ireland were to challenge India’s aggressive batting unit.“We know they’re a great lineup … they’re going to attack. The pitch should probably be a little slower than what they’re used to. Hopefully that can make the difference for us,” he said.
